The Deep End
by LittleRobinRedbreast
Summary: Post-ESB AU. Canon divergence. Luke doesn't think his day can get any worse. Then Darth Vader shows up. And there's a river involved. Luke really should have learned how to swim. NOTE: Previously titled "Luke Skywalker vs Water."


_**A/N: This is just a little one-shot plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone. Don't worry, I'm still working on **_**Interference from the Force_. _****_Like the summary says, this is post _Empire Strikes Back_, and it does diverge from canon. Sorry if there's any OOCness._**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Just playing with the characters._**

**_Edit 05/20/2019: Just went through and fixed a few spelling/grammar mistakes._**

**_Edit 12/21/2019: I changed the title from "Luke Skywalker vs Water" to "The Deep End." Sorry if this causes any confusion. It's still the same story. I just couldn't stand the original title. _**

* * *

The Deep End

It's supposed to be a routine scouting mission. Of course, the _Executor _shows up out of nowhere. The TIES descend and Luke sends the Rogues away, covering them while they escape into hyperspace. Before Luke can follow, his X-wing is hit by a lucky shot and he ends up crash landing on the planet they were supposed to be scouting. Thankfully, Luke is relatively unscathed. He abandons his damaged X-wing (it's unsalvageable at this point) and hikes to higher ground to see if there are any nearby settlements or towns. He doesn't expect there to be any (reaching out with the Force told him there were no sentient life forms) but is still disappointed to find nothing once he reaches the top of the cliff.

Just when Luke thinks this mission can't get anymore kriffed, his father's dark Force presence blooms in his awareness. It reaches for him, wrapping around him possessively and...protectively? Before Luke can give anymore thought to this, Darth Vader strides out of the trees, black cape flaring behind him.

"Skywalker."

His voice is just as deep and rumbling as Luke remembers it being. He suppresses the urge to take a step backward―mostly because he's at the edge of a cliff, which overlooks a raging river approximately 8 meters below―and lifts his chin defiantly.

"F-Vader."

Luke curses his slip. He'd almost called the man father, just like he had in the _Falcon_ directly after falling from the gantry at Bespin. He isn't ready to acknowledge their relationship. It's too soon. He's getting used to his mechanical hand, but there is still the occasional phantom ache where the actual limb used to be. And he just can't reconcile the picture of Anakin Skywalker he'd built up in his head with the black behemoth in front of him who terrorizes the galaxy at the Emperor's behest.

A flash of emotion from Vader leaks across their bond, the bond that had sprung to life after Vader had spoken those fateful words on the gantry in Cloud City. His father is...disappointed? Luke attempts to get a better sense of Vader's odd feelings, but his father abruptly strengthens his shields, cutting him off. Vader's presence is still there, but Luke cannot sense what his father may be thinking or feeling.

"I see you have yet to accept the truth," Vader says, acting as if he had not just let his shields slip momentarily.

"What do you want?" Luke demands.

"I am here to collect you." Luke makes an indignant nose, which Vader ignores. "I do not wish to harm you―"

"Sure you don't," Luke mutters.

"―_however_ it would be unwise to resist," Vader continues, a more threatening edge to his voice.

"I won't go with you." Luke crosses his arms in a show of stubbornness, and to hide the fact his organic hand is trembling. "In case you didn't get the hint, I would rather die than turn to the dark side."

Vader growls―his Force presence flaring in anger―and takes a menacing step forward, pointer finger raised as if to start lecturing.

Panicking for a moment, Luke takes a step backward, completely forgetting that there isn't anymore room for such an action. His foot meets air. His eyes widen, briefly meeting the tinted lenses of Vader's mask.

"Father!" The word tumbles out instinctively before he can stop it, and then he is falling.

Air rushes past him, roaring in his ears, and he can hear the water below getting closer. In his terror, he cannot even open his mouth to scream.

_Luke!_ his father's voice booms in his mind.

His descent slows slightly―most likely his father's doing―but he still crashes into the freezing water. The river immediately drags him along. He thrashes his limbs, trying to fight his way to the surface, but the strong current keeps him disoriented.

Growing up on a desert planet, his inability to swim had never been a problem. Now he's berating himself for not learning the second he had a chance to after leaving that dustball.

_Luke, where are you? You must swim to the other bank. _

His lungs burn and he kicks his legs, trying to move in any direction. He can't reach the surface. He can't find it. The current is too fast, moving too erratically. He is tiring and he is too unfocused to reach for the Force right now. His only hope is...Darth Vader, his father.

_Father! Help!_ Black spots are forming in his vision and his movements are becoming sluggish. _I can't...can't swim. _

_What?_

Luke would laugh at the incredulity in his father's mind-voice if he wasn't terrified and fighting for his life at the moment.

His leg strikes a rock, hard, and he opens his mouth in a silent scream of pain, water rushing in and down his throat. Consciousness starts to fade. He's not going to make it.

Maybe this is for the best. He won't have to fight his father, because despite everything Vader has done, Luke doesn't want to kill him. He won't have to continue his struggle against the dark side and the temptation of going with Vader. He can let it all go. If he just lets go, all the pain will end. He can see Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen and Biggs again. Maybe he can even meet his mother…

_No! Do not give up, Luke!_ Even in pain and semi-conscious, Luke can feel his father's panic. _I am coming, young one. _

Luke startles, shaking himself out of his morose thoughts, even as his consciousness is still waning, his lungs still feeling as if they are about to burst. His father is right (and isn't that something he never thought he would say). He can't leave Leia and Han and Wedge and all the rest of his friends. He needs to live to save Han and help the Alliance. He has to live to defeat the Emperor, and maybe even help his father in the process. Because, though Bespin was horrifying in innumerable ways, Vader didn't destroy him. He could have, but he didn't. And right now, his father is scared for Luke's life. He's coming to save him. These are not the actions and feelings of a monster. There has to still be good in him.

Of course, he can't do anything about his father or Han or the Emperor if Vader doesn't save him soon. He can't hold his breath any longer and he instinctively inhales, feeling the water burn like fire as it enters his lungs.

_Father…_ It takes all of his willpower just to get that much across their bond.

_I have you, Luke!_ his father exclaims in desperation-tinged triumph.

The last sensation he feels is his father's presence wrapping tightly around him and his body rising from the water. Everything goes black.

* * *

He is coughing. That's the first thing he's aware of. He has been rolled over onto his side and he is coughing. It feels like the entire river is gushing out of his mouth. There is a large hand on his back and another resting on his head, occasionally running through his hair. Even though he feels it shouldn't be, it's strangely soothing.

"Father―?" He breaks off into more coughing.

"Do not speak," Vader rumbles from behind him, his voice strangely gentle, in spite of the vocoder. Luke can't get a read on his father's emotions, locked down tightly as they are. "Rest for a moment."

Luke would normally protest, but he still can't stop hacking up water and he _is_ exhausted.

A few moments pass. The hand running through his hair is gone, but the one on his back remains. He is finally able to stop coughing and he relaxes, his eyes half-lidded in fatigue. They are on the bank of the river, across from where the cliff was. He doesn't know how far the river took him, but he can't see the cliff where he fell. He has no idea how his father managed to save him either (most likely through use of the Force), but he is grateful.

"Thank you for saving me," Luke says, looking straight at where he hopes his father's eyes are. His father is silent for a beat.

"Can you stand?" Vader asks, apparently opting to ignore his son's gratitude, or maybe at a loss with what to do with it. When was the last time anyone actually thanked the Dark Lord?

Bringing his attention back to his father's question, Luke doesn't think he can, but he tries anyway. He gets his trembling arms under him and lifts himself to his knees. Slowly, he raises himself to his feet, and promptly cries out in pain when he puts weight on his left leg. It collapses beneath him and he begins to fall, only to be caught by strong durasteel arms.

"Evidently not."

Luke scowls at his father, but his reply is cut off as Vader bends down and scoops him up into his arms in one swift movement. Luke is unable to stifle a gasp when his leg is jostled and feels Vader tighten his grip in response.

"Hey!" Luke protests, when he realizes just what position he's in. "Put me down!"

"You cannot walk on an injured leg, young one," Vader says dryly, continuing his journey along the bank of the river.

Luke grumbles but accedes his father's point. He tries to let go of his embarrassment, and anxiousness, and relax―even though his father saved him, he will still want Luke to turn―but only manages to marginally.

There are a couple minutes of silence, broken only by Vader's respirator and the forest noises around them. Luke is starting to drift off, his exertions in the river and nearly dying catching up with him.

Then, "Why have you not learned to swim?"

Luke startles at the demand, but soon grows defensive.

"I grew up on Tatooine. It's never been an issue before."

"I am aware of where you were raised, Luke." Vader allows annoyance to flood across their connection. "Why have you not learned since you left? Surely the Alliance would not leave your training so lacking."

"I...it's never really come up," Luke says, flustered at his father's heavy disapproval. "And I suppose the Alliance just assumed I knew. I'm a starfighter pilot, Father. Water doesn't come into the equation all that often."

"This is unacceptable," Vader thundered. "You _will_ learn."

He doesn't want to get back in water anytime soon.

"We can discuss that later," Luke says, having no desire to get into a debate (read: argument).

Vader seems startled, his next step slightly faltering. Something like surprise―hope?―flashes across the bond.

"You will come with me willingly?"

Luke sighs and thinks for a moment. If he goes with Vader, the temptation might be too strong and he could Fall. Or Vader could become impatient and endeavor to force him to turn. He doesn't seem to want to harm him―ignoring Bespin for the moment―but there is no arguing his father has a temper.

How else is he supposed to help his father, though? If he goes with him, there is a possibility Luke can turn him back to the light side. He could try making a deal with Vader―maybe even convince him to let Luke save Han (okay, that one might be stretching it).

It's a risk, but Luke isn't known for thinking things through. He's tired of the fighting. He wants to know his father. He wants to help him. And maybe it's selfish, but it's not like he can fight his way out of this right now anyway. He is going with his father either way.

He can feel Vader's impatience grow every second Luke remains silent. Luke decides to put him out of his misery.

"Yes, Father, I will come willingly."

His father's satisfaction―and more muted delight―flickers across the link for a brief moment.

"I have some conditions, though," Luke hastens to add.

Vader hesitates. "Very well. We will discuss them on the _Executor_."

"I have your word?" Luke demands. "You will actually consider them? I don't want to be difficult, Father. I want us to be united, but I _will_ try to escape if you don't agree to my conditions. And then it will be miserable for both of us."

"You have my word, Luke. I...will respect your conditions."

Luke probes inquiringly against Vader's shields, and his father allows him past them for a moment to ascertain his truthfulness.

His father is sincere, and Luke can't help the grin that spreads across his face.

He immediately yawns a second later and flushes with embarrassment when he feels Vader's amusement.

"Sleep, young one. It is a long distance to the shuttle."

"I'm fine," Luke insists.

Vader huffs mentally.

**_Sleep._**

His father's heavy Force suggestion immediately compels Luke's eyelids to droop, and his head comes to rest against Vader's armored shoulder. He really should try to fight it, just on principle, but he is far too relaxed now that he knows he is not in immediate danger. There _is_ good in his father, and he has a chance to help him. It's not going to be easy, but Luke believes it will be worth it. He has a good feeling about this.

Luke allows the peaceful darkness to sweep him under.

* * *

**_A/N: Written because I feel like there aren't enough Luke-almost-drowns fics. _**

_**I have no idea what kind of training―if any―the Alliance gives its members. Realistically, Luke would probably know how to swim by this point, especially since he's been with the rebellion for years, but let's all just suspend disbelief for a little while to make this work. ;)**_

_**Also, Vader probably could have stopped Luke's descent completely and lifted him back up to the cliff, but then this whole scenario wouldn't have happened, so...we'll just say Vader was so stunned and panic-stricken (probably having flashbacks to Luke falling off the gantry at Bespin) that he was only able to slow Luke's descent. And then he just assumed that Luke knew how to swim until his son informed him otherwise. **_

_**Feel free to leave a review. I hope you all enjoyed it! :)  
-LittleRobinRedbreast**_


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